When you are invited to climb a mountain with Ellen Miller, the first American woman to summit Mount Everest from both the north and the south sides, you go. That’s how we found ourselves standing in the lobby of The Vitality Center at the Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa at 6:30 am one recent morning. As we surveyed our seven incredibly fit companions gathered for the 60-minute Mountain Divas interval training class, we rethought the cocktails, duck confit dumplings and molten chocolate cake we’d consumed at Terra Bistro the previous evening and let everyone within earshot know that we were not yet acclimated to the Colorado altitude.

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We love to travel and learn about the lifestyles of others by studying the art produced by different cultures. Like-minded Nicole Gulotta makes it easy to support artists from other countries with her new company, the Nomadic Thread Society, which brings lightweight, 100 percent cotton or silk sarongs, beach throws and kaftans made with Fair Trade textiles from around the world to online shoppers.

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Some films depict certain locales so beautifully that we’re inspired to pack our bags and book a trip. We have a feeling we’ll be bitten by the traveling bug after seeing One Day, in theaters August 19. The film follows the friendship of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew — played by Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess — over a span of two decades and several cities. And there’s good news for others who feel the same: STA Travel is giving away a trip for two to one of three destinations in the film: London, Paris or Edinburgh.

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We’ve always loved attending outdoor summer music festivals, but that often means standing for hours in the hot sun, punctuated by paying inflated prices for water, beer and a selection of junk food. The Escape to New York festival, held August 5 through 7 at Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, NY, however, doesn’t seem like your typical music fest. The lineup boasts an impressive mix of legends like Patti Smith and the Psychedelic Furs and up-and-comers such as Best Coast and Savoir Adore. What really sets this festival apart, however, are the artisanal food vendors, relaxing stations for massage and aromatherapy and “glamping,” which is, as you may have guessed, high-end camping.

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When we go blueberry picking, we tend to eat every other berry harvested, so that doesn’t leave us much surplus to bring home and use later. Regardless, the fresh succulent blueberries are worth the trip. Even as National Blueberry Month ends in these final days of July, there is no excuse not to take your own excursion to a nearby patch to pick your own tasty fruits and make something delicious for your summer dinner table.

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Visiting a luxury spa at any time is a heavenly treat. But we find attending a special weeklong program that caters to a particular interest makes our stay even more meaningful and rewarding. At the original Golden Door Spa, for instance, located in the rolling hills of Southern California near San Diego, visitors can choose from several upcoming special programs. Anya Ushakova-Crain will guide participants to finding and expressing what is in their hearts during the Writing from the Soul program from July 31 to August 7. Water Week from August 28 to September 4 includes swim lessons, a chance to improve your stroke technique and/or daily Olympic-style water workouts.

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We always seem to forget to pack at least one important item when we head to the beach. So here’s our handy checklist of beach bag must-haves for your perfect day on the sand.

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By the time we make it to our gate at the airport we’re usually pretty cranky. And then we’re faced with the annoying decision about buying a $4 bottle of water so we stay hydrated before boarding. But we recently saw that San Francisco International Airport and Virgin America are making flying a little bit easier, at least in the thirst department, by allowing travelers to refill bottles at post-security hydration stations.

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When we think summer eats, our mind usually drifts to refreshing lemonade, delicious ice cream, crisp salads and even gooey s’mores. The sandwich, however, is a year-round culinary staple, from Autumn Apricot Turkey Panini to Pesto, Tomato and Provolone Sandwiches. For the fourth year, the Mezzetta Make That Sandwich Contest challenges home chefs to enter their best sandwich recipe for a chance to win $25,000 and a trip for two to Napa Valley.

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A bowl of oatmeal is one of our favorite healthy breakfasts, but beyond the occasional sliced banana flourish or oatmeal cookies, our oat recipes aren’t very creative. Innovative home chefs, however, can enter an original oat recipe into the Spar for the Spurtle Recipe Contest from Bob’s Red Mill, a company known for its oats, cereals, grains, beans, seeds, gluten-free items and other products. The grand prize winner earns $2,500 and a trip to Scotland to compete in the 18th Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship.

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